Galway Bay FM
19 May 2021
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Galway Bay fm newsroom – Minister Roderic O’ Gorman has told an Oireachtas Committee that there’s near consensus it’s vital to intervene at the site of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home.
He was addressing a meeting to discuss the proposed Certain Institutional Burials (Authorised Interventions) Bill, which would allow for interventions at sites nationwide.
He said children were interred in a deeply shocking manner at Tuam with no concern for their dignity, or that of their families.
Minister O’ Gorman said he is determined to prioritise the legislation to address this terrible failing – and said he hoped to bring a final draft to the Oireachtas soon.
Concerns over proposal to suspend coroner role at Mother and Baby home exhumations DNA testing programme may be expanded to include aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, minister says
Tue, May 18, 2021, 21:52
Oireachtas committee members have expressed concern following the decision to suspend the powers of the coroner during the proposed exhumation and identification process at Mother and Baby Home burial sites.
Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman told the joint committee on children and equality on Tuesday that the coronial role would be suspended to avoid having “concurrent jurisdictions” between different State bodies while interventions take place.
The jurisdiction of local authorities over exhumations will also be suspended at this time, he said.
Offaly group wants Mother & Baby home burial grounds taken over by State
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A Tullamore based organisation has led the call at an Oireachtas Committee hearing for all burial grounds at Mother and Baby Homes to be taken over by the State.
Aitheantas, an adoptee rights organisation, were giving evidence at the hearing of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration.
The Committee was told at a discussion on the Certain Institutional Burials (Authorised Interventions) Bill on Tuesday, April 27 that “the state should take ownership of all burial grounds, both those identified and those yet to be identified, by means of compulsory purchase order,” said Maree Ryan-O’Brien of Aitheantas.
There has been a call for all burial grounds at Mother and Baby Homes to be taken over by the state.
A hearing of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration was told on Tuesday that âthe state should take ownership of all burial grounds, both those identified and those yet to be identified, by means of compulsory purchase order,â said Maree Ryan-OâBrien of Aitheantas (Adoptee Identity Rights).
More generally she said âas a recognised key stakeholder group our primary objective is that reform of the law in this area should be victim-survivor led.â
She was speaking during a discussion on the Certain Institutional Burials (Authorised Interventions) Bill.
Fundamental human rights and equality issues, including the right to life, are in play and any approach to the issues must reflect these, he says.
âSpecifically the right to life engages positive obligations on the State to effectively investigate suspicious deaths. Also, the right to private and family life are engaged in respect of burying loved ones and knowing the fate of family members.
âIn particular, the right of family members to know what happened to loved ones should form the central objective of the legislation⦠A key task for this committee will be to deliver effective legislation that will, as far as practicable, protect and preserve mass graves such as Tuam and provide for the identification of, and where possible the return of mortal remains to family members.